Ethiopia: Egyptian Military Delegation in Mogadishu Ahead of Troop Deployment to Aussom

Addis Abeba — A 16-member Egyptian Armed Forces delegation arrived in Mogadishu on Monday for a reconnaissance mission ahead of Cairo's planned deployment under the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The delegation, led by Major General Islam Radwan, was received by officers from AUSSOM and the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF). They later held discussions with AUSSOM leadership, including Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) and Head of Mission, Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, and attended a security briefing at AUSSOM Force Headquarters.

According to officials, the team is scheduled to inspect key facilities in Mogadishu and forward areas to assess deployment and logistics arrangements for the incoming Egyptian contingent.

The deployment follows the completion of specialized training by Egyptian troops in preparation for operations in Somalia. It was recently endorsed by the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), which approved Cairo's request to formally join AUSSOM--marking Egypt's first combat contribution to the mission.

The Somali Ministry of Defence welcomed the development, describing it as a milestone in bilateral security cooperation. In a statement, the ministry said: "This step underscores Egypt's strong commitment to supporting Somalia's security and strengthening the capacity of the Somali National Army through the new AUSSOM framework."

The statement also acknowledged the AUPSC's role in facilitating Egypt's participation, framing it as part of a wider effort by African and international partners to reinforce Somalia's national security institutions.

However, Ethiopia has expressed unease over Egypt's involvement. Ethiopia's ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, told Somali media that Addis Abeba is "neither threatened nor comfortable" with the presence of Egyptian forces in Somalia. While stressing that Egypt's role does not constitute a direct threat, he added, "as long as they don't try to challenge our forces."

Suleiman was also quoted as saying, "If they [Egyptians] are to be of any use, it would be in neighboring countries such as Palestine, Libya, or Sudan." His remarks came a day after Egyptian troops completed their first training program for AUSSOM deployment.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.